Binna Burra welcomes the announcement in the 2022/2023 Queensland budget for a major funding boost to the State’s national parks.

The budget has allocated $262.5 million, to expand the state’s network of protected areas. It includes $200 million over four years to buy more land for national parks resulting in at least one million hectares of new protected area.

$5.6 million will go towards the delivery of the buildings and park infrastructure to support visitor recreation, management and access of parks and recreation areas jointly managed by traditional owners and departments.  $2 million will be applied to the Lamington National Park to improve management and infrastructure.

‘We would encourage some of that $2 million to be spent to fulfill the dream of Romeo Lahey, the co-founder of both the National Parks Association of Queensland and Binna Burra Lodge when he advocated before 1915 for the park to be called by the name used by the traditional owners, Woonoongoora’ said Steve Noakes, Chairperson of the Board at Binna Burra Lodge.

‘We’d also like to see the reopening of some tracks that have been closed with a particular focus on short and medium walks which appeal to a wider public and not just the more experienced bushwalkers’

National parks contribute $2.7 billion to Queensland’s economy and support over 24,000 jobs, mostly in regional areas, including the Scenic Rim of the Gold Coast hinterland.

‘And, of course, everyone associated with Binna Burra is incredibly appreciative of the State Government’s support to #BringBackBinnaBurra with a grant of $18 million’ said Steve Noakes.

‘Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the September 2019 bushfires this substantial funding support means the Binna Burra Cultural Landscape is emerging from the catastrophe stronger, smarter, and more resilient’ said Noakes.

‘ The legacy of the founders of Binna Burra in the early 1930s is underpinned by our contemporary PALs – Partnerships, Alliances, Linkages. And right now, there has been no bigger PAL for Binna Burra than the Government of Queensland and in particular the Hon. Cameron Dick, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment who made the announcement on the floor of the Queensland Parliament yesterday’ said Steve.

Photo: Mt Roberts at Binna Burra, where the historic Heritage listed Lodge once stood